of elizabeth



Patented Oct. 4, 1927..

UNITEED STATES ,PATE'NT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. THOMAS, JR., OF ELIZABETH,

BETTS C0,, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERS NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS 6a EY, A conrona'rron or new JERSEY.

CABLE GONNECTER.

Application filed January 22,

ture capable of being manufactured either- 1 by stamping the connecter from sheet metal or by casting it and which entails a small quantity of material. Likewise it is an object to produce a cable connecter which positively functions to securely fasten a cable to said box, as well as fasten it in standard round knock-out holes in boxes of presentday use; and one important feature resides in the fact that itsimultaneously straddles the box wall opening and cable, and has means forsimultaneously setting up an anchoring relation jointly with the cable and box.

Another object of the invention is to produce a connecter from a flat stamping which includes box hole anchorage means into which is received a box hole edge to anchor the connecter against longitudinal displacement, and cable clam means is carried on the connecter acting irectly on the cable to grip the cable between an exposed box hole edge and the connecter and to simultaneously render efiective the said anchorage means.

A further object of the invention is to produce a cable connecter, including box 5 hole anchorage or abutment means, of suitable size to fit, into a box hole and so formed as to directlyexp'ose a portion of the box hole edge to a cable received into thebox hole, and to provide o eratin means, such 4 as a screw, inside the ox to ear or clamp directly toward or against the cable, the

effect of which is to simultaneously render effective the anchorage means and grip the cable between'the exposed box hole edge and I screw, the latter being inside the box.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred form struction of which may be varied or modified without departing from the scope and principle of my invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a top View of an outlet box showing a cable joined thereto; and .the lower half of the view' illustrates a connecter in position in the box before the of the'invention, the con- P 1924, Serial No. 687,780. Renewed June 6, 1827.

' cable is inserted. Figure 2 shows an end projection of Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a cluster view of the connecter.

Figures 6 and 7 show a modified form of connecter assembled in the box and removed therefrom.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate another modi- 'fied connecter assembled in the box and removed therefrom.

Referrin now more particularly to the drawings far a more detailed descr1 tion of the invention, there is shown a cable connecter of such desi arrangement and con struction as may e cast, or the connecter may be struck or stamped from sheet metal by a punch press operation. The connecter essentially comprises a single. piece structure of generally U-shaped design, there being parallel plates or 1e depending or bent down right-angular rom a web or body 8. The late or leg integral with the body 8 is provided with an opening either .round, or as in this instance, it may be U-shaped as shown at 9, the said hole or opening 9 being formed in an abutment plate 10 which integrally joins a narrow neck of stock 11 on the connecter web body 8. The structure of the neck is such that a boxhole ed receptacle oove or notch 12 is forme n each side o the neck in the web adjacent the abutment plate or leg 10. The inner face of the abutment plate 10 forms one wall of the connecter anchorage notches 12 while the other notch wall isdefined the body 8. The abutmentplate 10 possesses suflicient spread or area as' iiivill aflord a positive closure .for box knock-out holes thus leaving no cracks or openings in the sealed electric box. 1 a

The other end of the body or web 8 carries a bent down or depending part 14, and this art is spacedin parallel relation from the abutment plate 10, and stands. outwardly from the-box wall as shown in the assembled "view Figure 3; This depending 'leg or plate 14 is made with a swedged' out rim or collar which provides a bushing 15; and the bushby the edges or in is made with a hole 16 through which the ca 1e wires W pass, and the-wiresare provantage be placed inside the box for old house work or on the outside of the box for new house work by which to force or grip the cable against the exposed box hole edge.

vHeretofore it was necessary to screw fasten the connecter to the box, an obvious disadvantage because standard type outlet boxes now in use are not, manufactured with a box as building requirements I screw hole or holes by which to anchor the connecter to the box wall.

My invention affords a simple type of cable connecter with only one operating part, the screw, which may conveniently be placed inside the box for old house work and outside the box for'new house work. Thus the connecter is universal in its several adaptations as clearly shown forexample in Figure 9, because that connecter is simply reversible to place the screw 28 in or out of the may demand. What I claim is:

1. Cable and box connecting means comprising, abox having a cable and connecter receiving hole, a substantially flat platel connecter of such size as will fit through the box hole and formed to directly expose aportion of said box hole edge to a cable, box hole edge anchorage meansincluded on the connecter into which seats the box hole edge to fix the connecter in the box hole, and means rotatably mounted on the connecter bearing on the cable to grip it between the connecter and exposed box hole edge and to simultaneously force the anchorage means into fixed relation with the box hole edge.

2. Cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a. cable and connecter receiving hole, a substantially flat plate connecter of such size as will fit through the box hole and formed to directly expose a portion of said box hole edge to acable, box hole edge anchorage means included on the connecter into which seats the box hole edge .to fix the connecter in a box hole and a screw threaded through the connecter toward the cable to grip it between the exposed box hole edge and. screw and to force the anchorage means against the box hole edge.

3. Cable andbox connecting means comprising, a box having a cable and connecter receivin hole, a substantially flat plate connecter 0 such size as will fit through the box hole and formed to directly expose a portion of said box hole edge to a cable, box

- hole edge anchorage means included on the connecter into which seats the box hole edge to fix the connecter against longitudinal displacement, a screw threaded through the connecter toward the cable to grip it agamst the exposed box hole edge and to force the anchorage means against the box hole edge,

and a downturned end included on the plate inside the box against which stops'the end of the cable. Y

4. A cable box and connecting means as defined in claim 3 wherein the screw is placed between the box hole anchorage means and downturned end.

5. A cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a hole, a U-shaped connecter laced in the box hole and including box ho e edge anchorage means made in the base of-theU with the hole edge seated-into the anchorage means, one leg of the U being outside the box wall and including an opening through which a cable passes into and through the box hole and said outside leg forming a. plate which closes the box hole around the cable, in

in:', and a shrew threaded through thebase of the U-shaped connecter and directed the other leg of the U beinside the box and including a wire bushtoward the cable to force it against the box hole edge and to also seat the connecter anchorage means against the box hole edge.

6. A connecter'comprising, a substantially fiat plate including box hole edge anchorage means, and a thereon including means to force said member against acable and to render effective the anchorage means.

7. A connecter comprising, a stamped plate connecter including box hole edge anchorage means,

.the connecter substantially parallel to the plane of the box hole edge anchorage means.

and a screw threaded. through the connecter to grip a cable againsta substantially rotatable member mounted i 9. A connecter comprising, a substantially fiat plate including notched box hole edge receiving means, and a screw threaded through the connector adjacent the notched box hole edge recelving means to grip a cable against an exposed box hole edge.

10. A connecter comprisin a. substantially flat plate being provi ed with two spaced box hole edge receiving notches in alignment formed in plate, and a screw threaded through the plate adjacent the notches to grip a cableagainst an exposed box hole edge.

11. A connecter comprising; tially flat plate including box ole edge anchorage means, said plate having one end bent at right angles with an opening therein for a cable to pass through, and a screw threaded through the plate directed toward a substanopposite edges of the the cable to grip it against an exposed box hole edge.

12. A connecter as defined in claim 11 wherein the anchorage means constitutes a pair of box hole edge notches made in the edges of the plate.

13. A connecter comprising, a substantially flat plate including box hole edge anchorage means and the plate being turned down at each end to form a U-shaped part, the le of the U having openings'therethrong and a screw threaded through the plate between and substantially parallel to the legs.

14. A connectercomprising, a substantially flat plate including box hole edge receivin notches, a screw threaded through the p ate on one end thereof adjacent the notches, and the other end of the plate bent at right angles with opening therethrough which places the notches between the screw I and bent 'end.

15. Cable and box connecting means comprising, a box having a cable and connecter receiving hole, a connecter member of such size as will fit through the box hole and formed to directly expose a portion of said suitable size to fit into a box hole and formed f to expose a portion of the box hole edge directly to a cable received thereinto and including box hole edge anchorage means, a portion formed on the connecter member proximate the anchorage means to project through a box hole to the'inside of a box, and operating means carried with the portion inside a box and bearing against and directly toward the cable to grip it between the operating means and exposedbox hole edge and to engage the anchorage means against the box hole edge.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE C. THOMAS, JR.

J. C. LEDBETTER CABLE CONNECTE B Get. 4, 1927. 1,644,294

Filed Jan. 22. 1924 INVENTOR James C 1 edefler' 

